One of the most important things in wartime is not only army equipment and the right strategy, but also the morale of the soldiers themselves. It was for this purpose that in America during the Second World War, naval soldiers were offered to consume ice cream in unlimited quantities.
Sailors ate up to a million tons of cold treats a day, and sometimes for fun they could even refuse cigarettes, which were also present in the ration. Ice cream served as something of a stress pill for soldiers, an aid in preparing for important battles, and a reward for winning on one line or another.
The creamy dessert has even become a sort of currency for the US military. At that time, there were no rescue helicopters on massive ships that could help people who were overboard. Therefore, sailors often offered ice cream to the crew of smaller, more maneuverable ships in exchange rescuing those who fell into the water.
Ice cream was so dear to the soldiers that they didn’t even leave it when the ship was sinking. Such an incident happened in May 1942. Then the American aircraft carrier Lexington was attacked in the Battle of the Coral Sea. After hearing the order to leave the ship, the sailors first burst into the freezer, where they ate a lot of ice cream, and then jumped overboard.
The Mystery of Dentistry: Why Did 19th Century Americans Indiscriminately Blow Their Teeth Out?
Why did sailors cheer themselves up with ice cream? The fact is that with the entry into force of prohibition in the United States, the military no longer had the possibility of filling their spiritual wounds with alcohol. The way out of the situation was just ice cream, which helped distract from bad thoughts. It is believed that a cold treat provokes a physiological response in the body, calming the person and reminding him of the most pleasant moments of his life.
Photo: Social networks
